FOR decades Pontypool has stood as one of the symbols of all that was great about the Welsh game.

Ask any rugby fan what the club's name means to them and it will usually inspire misty-eyed recollections of that world-conquering front row, epic cup victories, and glory years that coincided with the golden era of the Welsh national side of the 1970s.

But just as those halcyon days of abundant Grand Slams are now well behind us, so too has Pontypool seen its tragic fall from grace sealed over the past month.

Following relegation from the Principality Welsh Premiership this season the once-mighty Gwent club was put up for sale by its owner for just #1.

And while that may seem a bargain for the debt-free club, would-be benefactors will need to consider running costs reported to have been around #200,000 last year, made up of a combination of player wages and ground rents.

For cultural historian Peter Stead the decline of Pontypool was symptomatic of a deeper malaise in Welsh rugby.

"There are communities throughout Wales where clubs were the centre of everything, the most important social institutions," said Professor Stead.

"If you were an anthropologist in Wales you'd start in a rugby club. It was particularly true in the Valleys.

"People always think of Wales as urban but it's always been about villages and the rugby club was their hallmark."

But, with the exception of clubs such as Maesteg and Bonymaen, Prof Stead argued this has changed since the upheaval of the regional system.

"Everyone thought there had to be a reorganisation but the downgrading of the Valleys' clubs is a tragedy," he added.

"People had enormous pride, especially when you could go from Newbridge, Abertillery, Cross Keys etc and straight into the Wales team.

"It's a very sad moment.

"If something's not done about it I can't see any great future for the game in Wales.

"A lot of thought has to go into this, we have to upgrade club rugby in Wales, get status back for the league, build sponsorship and build the crowds up again."

It can be difficult to reconcile the current situation with that of just 20 years ago when coach Ray Prosser oversaw a generation of formidable Pontypool sides.

It was a legend built on the rock-solid foundations of the Pontypool Front Row of Graham Price, Bobby Windsor and Charlie Faulkner whose hard image was reflected in their alternative nickname of "the Viet Gwent".

Sadly the declining fortunes of Pooler have also been reflected at clubs throughout the Valleys, not least nearby Abertillery which had to pull out of the Welsh national league last year due to a lack of players, thus breaking with 100 years of tradition.

Many will point to the demise of the Pontypridd-Bridgend regional franchise that has ensured top-flight rugby is now largely the preserve of the South Wales coastal belt.

Others will draw parallels with seismic changes in Welsh society. Thatcherism. The death of the traditional heavy industries. The perpetual migration of wealth down the Valley floors, like so many rivers of gold slipping towards the big cities.

That powerhouse of the Welsh scrummage of yore, Bobby Windsor, mourned Pontypool becoming what he termed a "feeder" club rather than one of the leading lights.

"Everybody in Pontypool is disappointed but the professional game hit us, as all. Valleys' sides are suffering.

"You can't get finances to compete with the richer clubs and the best players go where the money is.

"There will always be a rugby team - but at what level, we'll just have to wait and see.

"I just hope when it comes to the start of the season we'll get the people coming through, to know we've got the backing of the town. It will make the boys feel good - it always does - and hopefully, fingers crossed, we'll be back up again the following season."